Some say the definition of insanity is, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. We actually know that this is not the real definition. On the other hand, it does describe our lives when we get stuck in a rut and can’t quite get out. We need help in order to transition to a different place. Then we can expect something different to happen. I think of human trafficking prevention and advocacy in this light and feel that at times we get stuck in a rut.

Teachers and leaders of youth are extremely valuable people and underestimated as to their affects on those they teach. Most of us can think back to school days and recall that one shining light that made an impact in our lives. In my own life I remember my Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Johnson. We happened to have the same last name but that is not why I remember her. Through the eyes of a then troubled 5-year-old she was someone I felt safe around. When we experienced the art of finger painting, she got her hands in the paint with us. Her dress was covered with that sticky white substance just like ours when we delved into the creative world of making paper-mâché. Her instructing and teaching was effortless. She was gentle, she was kind, and she was extremely observant. It was as if she knew everyone of us inside and out. Her students learned without even knowing we were learning. I used to watch this light intently and as an adult came to understand that Mrs. Johnson gave us an example of adulthood that we could embrace. She was my “shining light” school teacher and I am grateful for her.

At-risk children and youth are sitting in every classroom in America. As we move into 2015 I would challenge educators to take a look at the issues surrounding human trafficking and determine how you can use your classroom as a mighty force to transcend the norm. Browse through the curriculum and resources on the NEST website and do something you have never done before. Move out of the rut of the norm and into the world of the unexpected. You just may be the only glimmer of hope one of your students encounters while navigating the tumultuous years of growth.